Going PERC-Less!

Do you dry clean any of your clothes? If you do, do you take them to an environmentally friendly dry cleaner? Well the State of New Jersey would thinks that maybe you should..

Through a $5 million state funded program, managed by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, nearly $2.4 million has been distributed so far to dry cleaners throughout the State. Businesses have applied for the funds to make cleaning equipment upgrades to environmentally friendly equipment. This program is the first of its kind in the nation. The goal is to drastically reduce dry cleaning equipment in the state of New Jersey that uses perchloroethylene (PERC). The cost of upgrading cleaning equipment is great and without the program, many businesses would not have been able to make the switch. Kudos to the State of supporting this progression towards a most environmentally sustainable practice!

About one third of dry cleaners throughout the State have already gone through the upgrade, so chances are you can find a perc-less dry cleaner near you right now.

Perchloroethylene is a man-made colorless liquid, used mainly by the cleaning industry. Use and production of PERC has dropped dramatically since the late1980s due to its realized toxicity to humans and the environment (http://www.epa.gov/chemfact/f_perchl.txt).

There are three available progressive alternatives to PERC dry cleaning: high-pressure cleaning using liquid carbon dioxide; silicone-based cleaners; and high-tech, computer-controlled wet washing. Of the three, liquid carbon dioxide has shown to be the most effective. A quick internet search for eco-friendly dry cleaners in your area should produce plenty of results.

Supporting these businesses is a small change that will make a big difference to you, your family, and the environment.